Safety-bar for railways



(No Model.)

F. S. GUERBER. SAFETY BAR FOR RAILWAYS.

No. 348,902. Patented Sept. 7, 1886.

WITNEEEE'EI N. PETERS. Pholo-Lllhograpber. Washington, ac

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

.FREDERIOK S. GUERBER, OF ALLENTO\VN, PENNSYLVANIA.

SAFETY- BAR FOR RAI LWAYS.

a aJj-LTION Willing part cf Letters Patent No. 348,902, dated September 7, 1886.

Application tiled \p|il 30, lSi-Ili. Serial No. QOOJIO. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that J, FREDERICK. S. GUER- BER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Allentown, in the county of Lehigh and State of llennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Safctyfiars for Railways; and l doherebydcclarethe following to be a lull, clear, and exact descrip tion of the invention, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification, in which- Figure t represents a side elevation of a track with my improvements applied thereto and the wheels of a. car-truck in position on such track. Fig. 2 is a side elevation enlarged of a cantrack with my improvement applied thereto. Fig. 3 is a vertical section on the line t' 1110f Fig.2. Fig. at is a plan view of a railwaydrack with my improvements applied thereto. parts shown in Fig. 4. Fig. (i is a side elevation ct" parts shown in Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a vertical section taken on the line i 1 of Fig. 6.

My improvements have reference to locle ing-bars or safety-bars, which are used as means of preventingthemovementof aswitch while any portion of the train which has been moving overthesame to enterorleave asiding or main track is still upon the switch, or, in other words, serve as a medium for preventing the movement of the switch until a train has completely passed the same. lrleretofore these devices have generally been of such construction that the entire sat'etybar was moved lengthwise when movement was imparted to it, such longitudinal movement rcqniriugthe exertion of considerable force.

My improvements have for their object to provide a construction whereby the movement of the safety-bar is a lateral. or tilting motion on its longitudinal axis, so that, while retaining all the security necessary for the purpose, I obtain the required movement by the exertion of less power or force than has heretofore been required.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, A A indicate the rails of a car-track with my in'iprovements applied to such track.

B represents a safety-bar, which may be of any convenient shape in crosssection, but is preferably L-shaped, and consists of a long bar having journals 1/ fitted in bearings C Fig. 5 is an enlarged detailed plan of secured to the track-tics 1), so that said bar may be tilted laterally or rocked on its longitudinal axis. Said bar has a ilangeplate, b", which may be either made integral with the bar in the first place or be secured thereto by bolts (I. Said plate If is normally inclined, so that when a car-wheel is upon the adjacent track-rail the flange of such wheel is over it, as shown in Fig. 7, and the bar is thereby prevented from being tilted or rocked on its longitudinal axis. Said barB has an arm, F, which is connected with a switchnnoving or switch'locking device, so that whenever the same is moved the bar will be rocked, and conversely, whenever the bar is held against rocle ing the switch cannot be moved hence, when a cauwheel is yet upon the track, either stationary or in movement, and its flange is over the plate I) the switch cannot be moved. Ordinarily the bar B, owing to its length, will be made in two sections, as shown in the various figures of the drawings, the ends of the sections meeting at the middle and each section having an arm for connection with the switch or switelrmoving device; but this is not essential, and, if desired, the entire bar may consist of a single length or piece.

1 have used the term switch as indicating any device with which the safetybar connects and which has its movement con trolled by said bar 5 but my invention is not, of course, restricted to a switch, as it may also be employed in connection with a drawbridge, gate, or other railway safety appliances.

It will be noted that the boxes or supports in which the satetybar has its bearings are attached directly to the ties. Heretofore the safety-bar has been supported in brackets attached or secured to the rail. 3y attaching the boxes to the ties, to which the rails are also spiked, the relative distance between the safety-bar and adjacent rail is constantly preserved, notwithstanding any longitudinal movement of such rail due to creeping or other cause, and renewal of rails may be made without moving or disturbing the safety-bar.

By the term ties, as herein used, is meantthe structure on which the rails are supported. It will also be noted that the axis of the safetybar is close up to the rail and that the flangeplate against or over which the car-wheel rests or passes is attached directlyto or formed integral with said bar. This construction is very economical and, as the plate is over the axis, but verylittlepowcr or force is required to overcome its weight in moving the lover or other device with which it is connected.

Vhat I claim as my invention is 1. The combination, with a railway'rail and supports therefor, of a safetyhar carried in bearings, whereby it may be tilted or rocked on its longitudinal axis, said bar having a flange-plate secured directly to or formed integral with it and having an arm or means for a connection, and said bearings being secured directly to the rail-sup iorls, substantially as shown and described.

2. Asafety-bar for railways, consisting of a bar or shaft supported in bearings, whereby it can be rocked or tilted on its longitudinal axis, said bar having a fiangeplate secured 20 directly'to or formed integral with it, and having an arm or means for a connection, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this 15th day of 25 April, 1886.

FREDERICK S. GUERBER.

Vitnesses:

WILL H. POWELL, A. DALE SPARHAWK. 

